Month: October 2015

Deputy Darren Goforth’s death shook a community and I think you could really say — the nation. I’ve never seen complete strangers rally behind this man’s family the way the public has.

What was it that made everyone respond the way they did? Was it the way he was killed? The community’s outpouring of support has been stunning and it was clearly evidenced at the gas station the day this story was shot.

It was the first time that I’d been on a hard news assignment like this one. Even seeing the blue ribbons on the trees as we approached the gas station where the deputy was killed gave me chills. In that moment, everything that I’d heard about the story in the news (and written about it since I WORK in news) had become reality. The massive memorial was no longer just video or pictures used as broll for VO or SOTVO. It was live, right in front of me, with literally hundreds of people shuffling in and out, to pay their respects, take a picture, or just get a glimpse of it.

The ringing theme that stuck out to me from those interviewed was the deputy’s death was senseless. That was what the people we spoke to said repeatedly, bringing some of them to tears. It was difficult to watch them cry or feel that sadness. But it also gave me a taste of what I may experience as a reporter and further confirmed why I want to be in this profession – to do the stories that have value, give meaning and show we’re all in this together.

Covering Juneteenth in Houston this year was a particularly emotional time because it was only a few days after alleged gunman Dylann Roof opened fire at an historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine of its members. While the Juneteenth Parade I went to featured the traditional sights such as marching bands and floats, groups also came through to use it as a platform for their own messages surrounding violence, the hope for peace, and the unrest between communities and law enforcement in the wake of the officer-involved shootings in places such as Ferguson.

I was really grateful for the opportunity to talk to the people involved in this story and get their perspective. Below is the package, which did not air, but could be used for my demo reel. I did write the script.

The event happened near Texas Southern University and ended at Project Row Houses.